What Happens Now?
by brokenmusicangel96
Summary: What if the contestants of the 74th anual Hunger Games didn't actually die? Wha if the Capitol could bring some of them back? Cato/ OC Winnow Please review, criticism welcome. Currently Discontinued. Will continue when more ideas form in my brain.
1. Prologue

well I'm back with another Hunger Games fanfic...yes...another one with Cato and with the same character as my one shot, Winnow. This is just the prologue to the story, and I'll get the first chappie out soon, promise! Or I'll try to at least... :) Enjoy! PLease review!

* * *

Prologue

_I __don't wanna die, I don't know why, _  
_This kind of fate was meant for me,_  
_You gotta stay strong, gotta move on_  
_It's not how it's supposed to be_  
_What do I say?_  
_Wasn't supposed to end up this way_  
_What do I have to do,_  
_Was supposed to grow old with you._

* * *

_74th Hunger Games;_

I grab Peeta in a headlock, stepping back towards the edge of the Cornucopia, where the beasts impatiently jumped up the side, wanting to tear us apart. Katniss glares at me with cold eyes, her bow is strung tightly and the arrow is aimed at my face. I smile sadistically at her. Blood pours from my mouth and my head. Some drips into my eyes, but I don't blink it away.

"No. Shoot me and he goes down, too." I hiss at her.

I see her hand shaking, confusion tears in her eyes. She doesn't know what to do. So, she does really love him. She doesn't want to kill him, that I'm sure of. She's thinking of a way to kill me without killing him. She loves him. Unconsciously, _her_ face appears in my head. Her smiling, beautiful face. She's sitting under the sun, by the river. Her hands playing with a piece of grass, her feet buried in the water. She's smiling up at someone. She's smiling up at me. I reach out to grab her, in my mind, but my hand slips past her.

I shake my head to try and clear the thought of her.

The bow in Katniss' hand is shaking, quivering. And as it finally hits me, unwanted tears start to fall from my eyes, though you cannot see them. There is too much blood on my face.

"One more kill? I can do that, can't I?" I choke out just as Peeta draws an x on the back of my hand. As soon as he's done it, I know what is going to happen. So why do I let it happen?

Katniss lets her arrow fly, and it strikes me in the back of my hand. I howl in pain and my hold on Peeta loosens. He pulls away from me and pushes me off the Cornucopia. I fall. Down. Down. Down. Into the waiting beasts. They snarl with joy as soon as I hit the ground. Their teeth snap at me, their claws dig into my skin. The armor I have on helps fight them off when by own natural body can't. But eventually, they bite and claw their way through. That is when the pain really starts. Their teeth and claws burry deep into my flesh and I scream. Over and over and over.

_Her_ face comes to my mind once again and everything is gone, except her face. She is running, her favorite white dress blowing in the wind as she runs through the grassy, green field that lies by the river. She is laughing, her head turned around, looking behind her. I am chasing her. I am dressed in beige pants and a white button-down shirt. It looks like what I wore at the Reaping. We are both barefooted. I chase after her under the hot beams of the sun. I reach out to her, in my mind and in real life. But in real life, something tears it off. But this time, I do not scream.

I can hear her laugh. High and beautiful. Her brown hair which is usually pulled back into braid flows freely down her shoulders. Her green eyes are shining brightly. I catch her and pull her to me and kiss her smiling lips. She kisses me back for only a moment before she runs off again. I chase her, yet again.

More teeth, more pain, more claws. Why can't they just kill me? Just get it over with? Someone….just kill me!

She is there again. She is carrying something in her arms. A bundle. Of blankets? I walk towards her slowly, cautiously. She turns and smiles sadly at me, tears running down her face. I stroke her cheek but look down at the bundle of blankets slowly. I reel back when I see what it is. A baby. A baby boy. With my hair. But her eyes. He is mine, I know, I can tell.

My son.

My son.

My son.

Something hisses through the air. And I know that she has done this out of pity, not revenge. She can't stand to hear my cries either. I would have done the same thing, if I was in her place. But I'm not. I open my eyes and see an arrow sailing towards me. My head.

Then there is blackness.

She is gone.

My son is gone.

I am dead.

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Tell me what you think :)


	2. Chapter 1

well I'm back with another Hunger Games fanfic...yes...another one with Cato and with the same character as my one shot, Winnow. I'll get the second chappie out soon, promise! Or I'll try to at least... :) Enjoy! PLease review!

* * *

Chapter One

_All I'm dreamin of is good times,  
__good friends, and somebody to love.  
All I'm dreamin of is no fears,  
no tears and blue skies up above._

* * *

Cato

I gasp and jolt upright. Panting, trying to catch my breath, and choking on my own spit, I grip the sides of the table tightly. So tightly that my knuckles show white.

Wait…table?

I look around me, my eyes going wide when I see a handful of people – capitol people – walking around, holding onto medical equipment, machinery, and a bunch of other things. Where am I? Aren't I dead? I knew that Katniss' arrow had hit its target. She never misses. So why was I here, sitting on a table, with living people surrounding – walking – around me? What the hell was going on? I look down at myself and find that I am shirtless, my chest glows under the harsh, blue light that hangs above me. I slowly lift the sheet that hangs on my waist and look under it. Yup….I'm pantless, too. Great.

"Sir! District Two is awake!"

I jerk back at the high-pitched voice. It sounds like a squirrel who is being slaughtered. Annoying and pitiful and stupidly high. I try to move my legs, but fail. They are latched onto the table. I reach forward to try and undo them. I need to get free. I need to tell her that I'm alive. I need to see her.

"Oh, I wouldn't move quite yet, Cato Arana."

My head whips up and my eyes meet with those of another man who has green hair which is spiked up in every direction. His skin is as pale as snow and his eyes are an unnatural color of purple. What kind of combination is that? Green and purple? Really? I glare at him.

"Who are you?" I hiss out, still trying to undo the restraints that held me back from booking it out of here. The man steps forward and hits my hands with a long rod. I pull back and growl at him. I try again. And I get hit again.

"Stop trying to remove those, Cato. They won't come off." Another voice says. I look up and there is a new man, no more than half of my height in a blue suit, with stark-white hair and piercing yellow eyes. He looks almost like a human-like hawk. I growl at him, too.

"Who are you?" I ask again through clenched teeth. That is only one of my questions, but I'm going to save the rest for later. After I find out why the hell I'm not dead and where she is. I need to know where she is and if she is safe. I need to get the fuck out of here. Wherever here was.

The man with the green hair looks down at his clipboard, and then back up at me. Capitol. That is the only thing that runs through my head as my surroundings finally dawn on me. I've been here before. I know this place….

"My name is Hammil Rankine." I only hear him faintly. I know this place… I know this place, I know this place!

"I am Phox Honeyman. Cato Arana, calm down."

I can't. There is no way that I can calm down. I can't. I'm on the edge and her voice is the only thing that can keep me from falling over. I know, I know. I need her. I need her. I need to see her. Where is she? This is Capitol. I know. I was here before, when they got me ready for the Games.

I glare at them. "Why am I still alive?" I scream and lunge for the restraints at my ankles. Phox comes and tries to push me down while he yells at a woman who is sauntering by to get a syringe. They're gonna knock me out. I know it. Still, I fight. I bring my elbow up and smash it into his face. He reels back and clutches at his nose. My hands work quickly and my ankles are soon free of the leather bands. I bounce off the table, completely ignoring the fact that I am completely naked. Hammil reaches for a syringe and raises his arm to stab my in the shoulder. I bring the heel of my hand up and it strikes his chin. His head snaps forward and I can hear his teeth grind together.

"Cato Arana, calm down this instant!" Someone yells, but I ignore him. I need to get to her. With or without clothes.

"Cato Arana! Stop!" I keep on running until four Peacekeepers block my way. I snarl and turn around to find Phox and Hammil glaring at me, holding up a picture to me. I growl at them and plan to run through them.

"Cato Arana, don't you want to see Winnow Faerbane?"

I stop and stare at them, I can feel the ache in my chest thump painfully and I take a tentative step to them. How do they know about her? Have they been keeping tabs on her? Because of me? Did they know that she loves me and that I love her? Of course they did. How else would they control me?

Then a thought hits me.

I run full bore at them. I slam Phox up against a wall and growl, low and loud, in his face. He knows. He knows where she is, he can take me to her. I can see her, touch her, kiss her, and make love to her. Be with her for the rest of my life. I don't have to be dead anymore. I am alive. We can be together. Forever.

"Where the fuck is she? You know where she is! Where is she?"

"You will know soon enough."

A sudden pain jabs my neck and my head reels. I feel my body going limp. They got me, but not for long. They will never have me. Never.

* * *

Winnow

It's been four years. It is a long time to mourn over someone, isn't it? Although I cannot simply forget him. He was my first – and only – love. I will love him until the day that I die. Yes, I will admit that I have gone on a few dates with very good men. But alas, whenever I got comfortable, all I could picture was his smiling face. My baby's face. It is hard. I have not been with another man since my first time. Even though I know that my love will never be coming back, I still feel as if I make love to another man, that I will be cheating on him. And I cannot do that.

There has been a revolution between the Capitol and the districts. We had survived, but so had the Capitol, not Snow though. We are free of him now, if only this had happened sooner, maybe I would have Cato here next to me, once again. But I cannot help but feel grateful that the rebellion was started by Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark. Those two tributes, the ones that had killed the only man I loved, I had somehow forgiven them. Strange, yes. But I'm sure Cato would have killed them if they had not killed him first.

I try not to think about him too much. For the sake of my sanity. And for the sake of his family. My family. I try to move on, but everything in District 2 reminds me of him. The young boys training each morning near sunrise. The lake by the edge of the boundary. Everything in that district reminds me of him. That is why I am moving. Leaving. I have lasted four years with constant reminders of his death, now, I am finally leaving it all behind. Or at least, I am trying to.

"Mommy, can I have a drink please?"

I look away from the window and see big green-blue eyes staring up at me. Blond hair falls into his face. I smile and gently push it back with my fingertips. He sticks his tongue out at my reaction because the boy sitting next to us is snickering at him. He turns his head shyly away from me.

"Momma, you're embarrassing me…." He whines. I chuckle and ruffle his hair.

"I be that boy is just jealous of you because you get me as a mother."

"Mom….." He whines again and I turn from him while handing him a jug of juice. He takes it with a small thank you and turns fully away from me. I watch him out of the corner of my eye and I feel a small tug at my heart. He is so much like him. In so many ways. It's sometimes painful to look at my son. He looks, acts, even talks like Cato. He is like a mini-me of Cato. It hurts to see that. It hurts to know that he will never be able to meet his father. It hurts to know that one day, he will grow up and be an exact replica of the boy I fell in love with when I was seventeen.

"Momma, I have a question."

Ah, so my son was speaking to me again? "What is it, Niall?"

"Who are we staying with again?"

"An old friend. A very old friend." I respond, smiling sadly at him. This old friend, or should I say friends, are in fact the two people I forgave after they showed up on my doorstep in tears. Katniss and Peeta Mellark. They had gotten married only a year ago, although I did not attend. They live in the Capitol, where Niall and I will be staying, living. Katniss had sent me a letter asking if me and my son would want to live with them. She had offered me a job at the Bakery Peeta owns. I could not object. Even with my son by my side, I am lovely. I cannot deny that simple fact.

I am lonely without Cato. But I don't show Niall that weakness. I save that for myself when I am in bed, and I weep. It has gotten better in the past year, though. But my heart is still not completely full again.

Niall perks up. "Peeta and Katniss?" He asks, a smile appearing on his face. I laugh at his expression and ruffle his hair once again, and even though the boy across from us is snickering at him again, I know Niall loves it. I know that he loves me.

"Yes, Peeta and Katniss. You remember them?" I ask as I pick up a small biscuit and hand half to Niall. He accepts it gratefully and chomps down, his teeth sinking into the soft dough. He nods enthusiastically.

"Of course I do, momma, Peeta was the one who made my birthday cake last year! The one that was hug and had sharks and fish all over it!" He squeals in delight. Oh, do I remember that cake. Peeta had come on Niall's birthday and had handed me this three tier chocolate cake with blue icing, green seaweed, and the whole nine-yards. I remember the tears that fell from my eyes when he had hugged me and told me how sorry he was and that he thought Cato should have been there to celebrate his son's third birthday. I remember clinging to him and crying into his chest. He is such a sweet man, that Peeta Mellark.

I also remember Katniss playing with Niall in the back yard and telling him how to kill a squirrel instantly. I remember Peeta laughing as Niall had run back to me in tears saying that Katniss had killed innocent squirrels. I had to keep myself form laughing, also.

I push the memories back to where they belong and smile at my son, "Yes, I remember that cake. Now, Niall, finish your biscuit and try to sleep. We have another twelve hours until we reach our new home."

He obeys and he is asleep within ten minutes. He leans his head down on my lap. I run my fingers through his soft blond hair and feel the sadness pull at my heart once again. His fingers curl around my skirt as he dreams of swimming with sharks. I lean down and kiss his forehead gingerly. I lean back and close my eyes and recall the first time Cato told me that he loved me.

_I look down and try to not to blush to deeply. Cato's hand is warm on the side of my neck. His thumb is stroking my jaw, waiting. He is waiting for me. I squeeze my eyes shut and take a deep breath. _

_"Cato…?" I whisper. _

_"Hmm?" He continues to stroke my jaw line, his other hand is stroking my hip gently, almost seductively. I sigh and open my eyes slowly to see his also opening slowly, as if he was afraid that I wasn't real. I raise a hand to his cheek and he leans down and kisses my hair line. _

_"I love you." _

_Cato's head jerks back and he stares at me with wide eyes. I keep my eyes locked on him, knowing that it was very sudden, but I needed to say it. Had to. Or else I would be regretting never telling him. Then, the strangest thing happens. Something I thought he would never do to me. He whispers three words – the three words I've wanted to hear for eleven years._

_"I love you, Winnow."_

I fall asleep thinking of the time, my first and only time, and the time when Niall was made out of love, lust, sadness, and the wanting to be together. Forever.

* * *

Tell me what you think :)


	3. Chapter 2

So, here we go! I'm deeply sorry about not getting this out fast enough, but, my gramma just moved in, and...well...that says it all... so please, enjoy and review! :)

Disclaimer : I don't own the Hunger Games...or Cato for that matter -.-

I'll try to update as soon as possible! :)

* * *

**Chapter Two**

_It's been a while since I could hold my head up high_  
_And it's been since I first saw you,_  
_It's been a while since I could stand on my own two feet again,_  
_and it's been a while since I could call you_

* * *

Cato

I wake up. Something is beeping in my ear and someone is feeling my arm, probing at it with something annoyingly pointy. I groan and stir, trying to get the annoying instrument off. Someone grabs onto me tighter, though. My eyes pop open and I'm face to face with two women. One has curly orange hair, the other has short, spiky jasmine colored hair. Their eyes are huge as they stare into mine. I growl at them in protest and try to sit up. Can't. I look down and see that leathers straps are tying my arms and torso down. Well, at least they got smart this time. I lift my head and look down. And at least now I have pants on, granted they were the ugly blue-green pants that you found in the old movies. The ones that they wore in hospitals. I turn my eyes back to the women who are working over me.

"Where am I?" My voice is groggy and thick.

The one with orange hair says, "Capitol Rehabilitation Center." Without looking at me. She turns back to the beeping machine behind me. I glare at her then turn my attention to the other woman, who is writing something down on a clipboard.

"Why am I here?" I grind out through clenched teeth. The woman lifts her head and smiles at me kindly.

"You are being examined." Well, no shit. I haven't figured that out by now. I frown and wriggle around the table. I want – no, need – to get out of here. Last time I was in here, I wound up dead with an arrow through my skull and ripped to shreds. I don't want to be here a second time.

"How am I alive?"

"Ah, Cato. Seems you've come to."

I turn my head and see a tall, skinny, well-dressed, man with a cane in his right hand. I can't help but show disgust in my face as I look at the man's red eyes and stark-white hair. He looks like a rabbit. I resist the urge to growl at him but dig my nails into my palms, knowing that I am drawing blood. I don't care.

I repeat my question. "How am I still alive?"

The man limps towards me slowly then looks down at me. I flinch internally from his red-eyed stare. It makes me what to close my eyes and scream. They almost look like those of the monsters that were tearing me apart. He smiles, but it's almost sadistic.

"Let me explain to you." He says and takes a seat next to my knees. I try to flinch away, but alas, am unsuccessful. I am chained up after all. I stare at him with cold eyes. She is the only thing that's on my mind. That and what has happened since I've been….dead? Sleeping? What the hell have I been doing for the past….wait…how long have I been here for? A few months? Days? Years? Decades? I have no fucking clue.

"You see Cato, you did in fact…die….in the arena fours years ago. But you see, when you died, when we came to retrieve your body, we had discovered how to revive dead people. You were our first project for this new…invention."

"So, I'm a guinea pig, then?" I scoff. I want to spit in his face with all that I have. But I opt not to. Could end badly.

The man laughs, "Well…yes, in a way. And it seems that this experiment has worked."

"No shit."

The guy's smile disappears instantly. "Cato. You have someone that you would wish to see, yes?"

Winnow's smiling faces pops into my head almost as if on cue. I feel her breath on my neck, my cheek. I can feel her lips on mine; her hands on me. I fell my muscles relax at the thought of her in my arms and I return to the small dream I had before I died. We are laughing, smiling, and swinging our child between our arms. I say nothing to the man, but I'm sure he can tell by the way my features have changed.

"I see. This girl that you wish to see is named Winnow Faerbane, yes?" He says softly. My head snaps up to him and I try to lunge at him. If he had done anything – if anyone had done anything – I would kill them, one by one, until they were all dead.

"I swear to God, if you laid one hand on her -" I scream.

"Calm down, Cato."

I'm not gonna calm down. Make me, you bastard! _Make me!_

"I'll kill you if you've touched her -"

"We haven't touched her…..not yet."

My head screams in worry. Not yet? _Not yet_? NOT YET? What the hell does he mean not yet? Not yet? Winnow, no, she has to be safe. She has to be alive, safe. I have to get to her. She needs me. I need her. Goddamn it, I have to get to her!

"The hell you mean, not yet?" I snarl at him, tugging at my restraints. I feel blood sticking to my wrists. I don't care. I don't care. I need to get out. Now.

"You see Cato," He is calm, but I can still see the fear in his eyes. It's clear as the water of our river. It's clear. He understands that if I get out of these fucking restraints, he's dead. He knows it. Clear as day. "We need you to help us,"

"Us? Who's us?" I can feel panic starting to rise in me, but my anger for this man and what he plans on doing to Winnow if I don't agree overwhelms my panic. I can practically taste the animal on my tongue.

"We are people who want what we had before back. We want the Capitol to be in power again." He states.

I stop. Things have….changed? The Capitol isn't in power anymore? Was there a war? Oh, God. If there was a war….

Oh, God, Winnow.

"Ah yes, it seems no one has told you, Cato. There was a rebellion, lead by Katniss Everdeen, you remember her, don't you?" His smile is cruel. Yes. I remember her. How couldn't I? But I don't mind her. She gave me my last wish in that damn arena. She had killed me, and that had, unintentionally, saved me.

"Yeah. So?"

"So, the capitol had lost power. There are no longer the Hunger Games. But now, we want the Capitol back in power. We want a president back, we want the Games back, and we want Panem to be like it was before." He finishes. Now, the panic is almost equal to my anger and frustration.

"You still haven't answered my question, who's 'us'."

His cruel, sadistic smile grows.

"The next rebellion."

Winnow

"Peeeeeeta!"

Niall's voice booms from behind me and he pushes his way through our bags and runs towards Peeta, who is walking with a massive grin on his lips. I laugh at how my son is running and how Peeta is matching his enthusiasm. It is somehow how I picture Cato would be like with him. Just maybe, or would he be cold? No, not towards our son. Never.

I see Peeta gather Niall into his arms. Niall squeals and wraps his arms around Uncle Peeta. Peeta swings him around a few times before holding him on his hip. I reach him and smile up at him. Peeta's shaggy blonde hair hangs in his face and his blue eyes are shinning. He still looks like a boy, even though he is almost twenty-one years old. He laughs at Niall and ruffles his hair, but when he looks up and sees me, he sets Niall down gently and opens his arms. I drop our bags on the ground and bury myself into him. His arms close around me tightly. I wrap my arms around his back and squeeze tightly before pulling away.

"Hey there, stranger." He said softly. I smile sadly up at him and can't help but hug him once again in gratitude. Peeta chuckles and hugs me back. "Hi, Peeta." I look up and pull away. I look past his shoulder and see…no one.

I look back at Peeta. "Where is Katniss?"

Peeta reaches down and grabs our bags. Niall was still smiling up at him and staying close to his side. "She's inside. Come on, she is making dinner. I'm sure that you are hungry." He smiles and leads us into their house. Niall squeals in delight and flies inside. I follow Peeta into the kitchen, where, as he guessed, is Katniss standing over the stove. I cannot see what she is cooking, but I see her turn with a warm smile on her face. But under that warm smile, I can also see the sadness, and the pain of seeing the love of the man that she killed only four years earlier.

Yes, I too have the same smile on my face. The wound is still deep, not as fresh; it has stopped bleeding, but it is still an open gash. A gash that I am sure will never heal fully. It may scab, but even the slightest reminder of him would split it right open again into an even wider, bigger, wound.

Katniss places a wooden spoon into the pot and walks towards me, her arms opening. I know that Katniss is not a person who likes to hug of touch other people, but I know that she also feels the need to hug me, it is her asking for forgiveness. I want to tell her to stop asking for forgiveness, that I have already forgiven her a long time ago, but I too, want that reassuring touch that makes me believe that she is deeply sorry for killing my child's father. Even if it was to ease his other way of death.

"Winnow. Hello." She greets me, wrapping her arms around my shoulders. I am taller than her, so I rest my head on the crown of hers while I wrap my arms around her, returning the hug. "Hello Katniss. It's good to see you." I say and pull away, but keep her at arms length. I see that she has a profound bump in her abdomen. My jaw drops open.

"You are pregnant?" I nearly shriek. Katniss chuckles and glances down at her own belly. She looks back up at me and smiles, this time, it is a full-hearted, warm, and loving smile. And it is directed at the life her a Peeta have created.

"Yes! Only two months or so. It took some time of convincing." I heard Peeta scoff from behind me. We both turn and see Peeta sauntering to us with Niall wrapped protectively in his arms.

"Some convincing? Try me begging over and over and over again until you couldn't stand my whining anymore. Admit it. That is the only reason why you said yes." Peeta scoffs out, placing Niall down to lightly kiss Katniss on the cheek. She turns and glares at him, but there is still love in her eyes. I laugh at the two and swoop Niall into my arms. He smiles at me widely then pecks me on the cheek. I smile back at him and ruffle his hair.

"Alright, Katniss, how long until supper?" Peeta suddenly asks. I look at Katniss, not realizing how hungry I actually was until Peeta mentioned food. Katniss shakes her head and says that dinner will be in around ten minutes. Peeta claps his hands together then turns to me.

"Alright. Katniss, do you think you could watch Niall for us while I show Winnow her new home?" Peeta says, but I know that there is more meaning to his words that Niall knows. Katniss seems to understand and she takes Niall from my arms. Niall puffs out a lungful of air, but does not protest. Peeta smiles at me, and motions me to follow him. I step close behind him as he leads us up s flight of stairs, down a few hallways, and into a secluded area. Peeta pulls out a key from his pocket and unlocks the door sitting before us. The door creaks open and reveals a large living space. I gasp at the size and the furniture that is placed in it. It is a bit dusty, but I think that Niall and I can manage.

Peeta turns to me. "Is it alright?"

"Alright? It's more than alright. Thank you." I say and wrap my arms around his neck. He chuckles and puts me down gently. I look at him, and see a sadness in his eyes. Then it dawns on me. This suite must have been another victor's home before ours. But…. who's?

"Peeta…."

But before I can get the question out, Peeta closes the door behind us and leads me to the couch. We sit and he tells me the answer of my unasked question.

"It was Annie and Finnick Odair's. They lived here until….until…" Peeta stops, breathes, swallows spit, and then continues. "Until Finnick was….killed, in the second part of the Games that Katniss and I had played. They had a son, too. And Finnick had dies just after him and Annie had gotten married. And then Annie left with their child back to District Four. He was the second love of someone that had been killed by my side. I cried for days. You didn't watch those Games, did you?" He asks and I can see tears in his eyes. I shake my head, trying to avoid tears leaking from my eyes. I sigh and open my eyes.

"I'm sorry, Peeta. And I…thank you. I cannot thank you enough for giving us this. Just…thank you." I smile as a tear escapes my guard. Peeta reaches out and wipes it away. He smiles at me.

"Nothing to it. Come on, Katniss is most likely setting the table for dinner." He takes my hand and pulls me up from the couch. Peeta walks in front of me, but I look over my shoulder until the door closes.

Annie and Finnick Odair.

The love that could never be.

So relevant to my own pathetic love story.


	4. Chapter 3

Here is chapter three, sorry it took so long, and I'm sorry if it doesn't make ense at some parts, cause it's kinda like, three in the morning :p anyways, enjoy, and please review! :)

* * *

Chapter Three

_If I had my way, _  
_I'd spend every day right by your side_  
_And if I could _  
_stop time, _  
_Believe me I'd try for you and I_  
_And each moment you're gone, _  
_Is a moment to long in my life_  
_So stay right here, right now_

* * *

Cato

For the third time, I wake up, sweating, crying, and panting. But there is one thing that is very different from the other times that I have woken up. I am not tied down. I'm not chained to a bed. I am not in Capitol. I have no fucking clue where I am. In the middle of nowhere. That's where I am. There are trees around me, tall cedar ones, and there is grass underneath me. What the hell?

I groan and sit up, rubbing the back of my head. I squeeze my eyes shut for a second, blocking out the sunlight temporarily. When I open them, I see that I am fully clothed, with beige pants, a white shirt that is buttoned up only a bit, so that you can still see my pecks. I am also wearing the necklace. The one from so many years ago. One that I thought I had lost. The one from Winnow.

Winnow.

I stand up quickly and look at my surroundings. Bird chirp and wind rustles the leaves. But even so, I listen closely. I wait for a sound that proves that I am close to a village. Maybe my own district, maybe a different district. Then, through the loud wind and the mockingjays, I hear the faint hiss of train engines.

And laughter. Sizzling food.

Train engines. That mean…I am close to a city!

I listen again and head off towards the sounds. They get louder and louder as I storm through the trees, not caring if I get these capitol clothes dirty. As I run, thoughts flow through my head. Unwanted thoughts, and some thoughts that are better for dreaming.

_The beasts are tearing me apart. Little by little. It lasts for days. Until I'm finally struck with an arrow. Katniss' arrow. I silently thank her as I die. Thank her as the beasts scurry off me. I can't feel. Can't see. Nothing. I am nothing. _

_Pain. _

_So much pain. I still can't see. I scream, scream, scream. I pray that someone will hear me at come and save me. Wait. Me? Need saving? _

_I scream. Scream. Scream. What the hell are they doing to me? Something pokes me in the neck; sharp, deep, and I feel blood pool out. My mid starts to fuzz, and soon there is nothing again. _

_Black. Black. Black. Black. Everything is black._

_Then, there is a faint light. _

_And sounds. _

_Her sounds._

_She is panting heavily, her breath coming in short gasps._ _Her body is pressed firmly against mine. I breathe in her scent and her loud moan as my hand trails down her body. "I love you. I love you. I love you."_

_"Cato…"_

_"Cato…" _

_Blood. Blood everywhere. I'm covered in it. But it's not mine. It's theirs. Something inside me growls and howls, wanting to break free. Its teeth snap, ears flat against its head. Its claws rip my insides. Saliva drips from its mouth and its red and yellow eyes blazing with hatred. It's a wild beast that I can't contain. It crawls its way up my throat, making me garble out incoherent words. I'm gagging. It pushes its way free. Everything goes black._

I slow my pace as I reach the edge of the forest. There are roads. And people. Loads, and loads, and loads of people. It looks like….like Capitol. But it's different. Everyone is smiling, laughing, playing. No one is looking depressed, sad, afraid. But most of all, no one – no one – is dressed stupidly. No one has that dreadful makeup that changes the color of your face. Everyone is…normal.

I stare at people as I walk slowly through the streets. I can't believe my eyes. Everything has changed. I feel a small smile appear on my face as I stick my hands in my pockets and continue on walking towards nowhere. I have no destination. Only home. And there is only one way to get there. By train. So I might as well take my time. But, I want to see her.

Wait. Is she married? Has she found someone else?

Panic rises in my chest and my smile disappears. I've never thought about that before now. What if she doesn't love me anymore? What if she's moved on to someone else? Does she really think I'm dead? Does she mourn for me? Does she wait for me at our secret place, where we first – and only – time we made love? Is she waiting there for me with her legs plunged underneath the warm water, her dress pulled up her thighs?

"Mommy! Mommy, come and catch me!" A high-pitched laugh echoes across the clearing. I turn my head just in time to see a small boy, no older than five, running full-speed past me. He has blond hair that is short, but long at the same time, like how Peeta's was when I last saw him. I smile unconsciously at the boy. I turn back around and continue walking.

"Baby, wait! Niall! Niall stop!"

My heart stops.

No, no it can't be. I spin around and see a flash of beautiful brown hair flow by me. Se is wearing a white dress that is blowing as she runs after the boy. It's like one of my dreams is playing out in front of me. She's real, though. I know she is. She. Is. Real.

I can touch her. Kiss her, feel her. Love her. She is right in front of me, just out of arms reach. But if I take a step closer, I can grab her, wrap her in my arms and never let go. We can be together. I don't have to be dead. I'm not dead. She's not dead, either. We are both alive. And that boy. I don't know who he is, but my gut tells me that he is my son. Mine. From that time at the riverbank. He is ours.

As if in a daze, I outstretch my hand towards her.

"Winnow?"

* * *

Winnow

I heard a soft whisper fall across the wind. It says my name. But it is only a whisper. It sounds like his voice, but it can't be his. He…he can't possibly be his. I know this, yet I turn towards the voice. My hair is blowing in the wind and I push it out of my face. I scan the crowd. He is not there. I cannot see his head of beautiful blonde hair. He does not stand out in the crowd, like he always used to do. Whether it was because he was so tall, or because he was beautiful and confident, I'm not quite sure. All I see are people out with their children, their wives. Their husbands. Like how I should be.

I painful ache envelopes my heart. No…for so long I have managed, but now? At a time like this with my son running freely – his son – I can barely keep the tears from falling down my face. But then I hear the voice again.

"Winnow?" It is stronger this time, more predominant. I whip around the other way and see a tall man staring at me. He is wearing a white button shirt. He is muscular and his hair is the blonde that I remember running my hands through that night.

He is here. I know. That man is real. He is alive, how? I don't care. I don't care. I don't care. He is alive, in front of me.

"Momma? What are you staring at?" Niall pulls at the hem of my dress.

I take a step forward as my arm unconsciously reaches out. My mouth hangs open in shock. I take another step, lurching forward towards the man that I thought was dead and gone forever from my life. Niall still clings to me as I move, faster and faster towards the man. He is also moving towards me. He is almost running. I cannot reach him fast enough.

He is alive. Breathing. Beating heart. He is alive. Alive. Here, he's here. Real, he's real. I finally find my voice and call out to him. My footsteps are slapping against the pavement. Niall is running behind me. But I only have my eyes on the only man I have ever loved. The man who conceived a child with me. The man who loved – loves – me.

"Cato! Cato! Cato!"

"Winnow!"

And suddenly, he is there, standing only a few inches from me. Heat is radiating off of him. My head tilts up to his and he is staring at me. My hands reach out and clasp his face between them. My eyebrows pull together and tears fall freely from my eyes. His hands reach down and stroke my hair, my neck, my check – everywhere.

"You…you…you're real? You are real, aren't you?" I sob, my whole body shaking in happiness, sadness, and relief. Cato smiles at me and presses his forehead against mine. I savor the touch, not knowing if I am dreaming, or when he might leave – disappear – once again.

"Yes, I'm real. I'm alive, Winnow. I'm back." He says, his voice cracking, and pulls me to his chest. I wrap my arms around his back and sob, choke, into his back. He trails kisses along my face, my neck. I cry even harder then. He is back. He came back to me. To our family. To his son.

"Mommy, who is this?"

I pull away as my son's voice rips through our reunion. I look down at Niall's confused face. I smile sadly at him through my tears and lift him up on my hip. I look back at Cato, and see that his face has turned white, almost ashen. He knows, I do not need to tell him. Of course I don't. Niall looks like a mini-me of Cato. His father.

"This is Cato, baby….He is your father." I say, nervous, because I am not sure how my little boy will react to learning that his father has come back. Knowing that his father has not been there for the first four years of his life.

Niall's lips grow into a ravaging grin and he giggles. "My daddy? He's my daddy?" He squeals with delight. I laugh, although it comes out more like a sob. "Yes, he is your daddy."

I look back at Cato, who reaches out his hand and touches Niall's cheek gingerly with his fingertips. "Hello…." He says, nervously. I reach up and stroke Cato's cheek. I try to reassure him, but Niall is never shy.

"I'm Niall! Hi daddy!" He says, and then more quietly, "I missed you….Mommy missed you more, though." He whispers. Cato's eyes dart to mine, a deep sadness within them. I smile sadly at him and pull the two boys along, heading home.

Once we reach our home, Cato and I have said few words, but Niall can do nothing but talk to his father. Cato talks back, but I see him taking glances at me. I can see that he wants to be alone with me, he wants to explain what has happened in the last four years. I am about to open the door when Peeta opens it. His face is as surprised as I felt only a few minutes ago.

Cato…he is a different story. Anger blows off him in waves. I understand, this is the man who had taken me from him, who had killed him, put me in danger. But I also know that this anger is directed in another area. He believes that I have gone with Peeta. That is, until he sees Katniss walk up behind Peeta and kiss him lightly on the neck. Then her face mimics that of Peeta's.

"Cato…Niall! Come 'ere. Let's go play outside. Katniss, love, would you like to join us?" Peeta says, winking at her. Katniss, her face still riddled with surprise, nods and follows the bouncing Peeta and Niall outside towards the park. Cato watches them leave with his son.

I take his hand and lead him up to my part of this huge house. I open the door and motion for him to go in. I follow, but am unprepared for when Cato grabs my hands in his, pins them above my head and slams me against the door, slamming it shut. He reaches around me and locks it. His mouth is quick to find mine. I moan. God, how I've missed him – missed this. His taste, his skin on my skin. His muscles encircling me. Protecting me from danger. I missed him so, so, so, so much.

My mouth pushes back against his. Hard. Wanting. I've been waiting for this for four years. We are hungry, savage. Wild.

Cato moves his free hand up to my back and he pulls the zipper of my dress down. I gasp as his lips leave mine to claim my neck. I tilt my head back to expose it for him. I give him more area to kiss. I wriggle and he releases my hands. They move automatically to his shirt. I run my hands down quickly, wanting to discard the annoying clothing as soon as possible. I hear buttons pop as I rip his shirt off. He groans into my neck and I move my head to claim his lips with mine.

His hands glide down, cupping my hamstrings securely. I jump up and wrap my legs around his waist, pushing our centers together. We moan, pant. Cato swings us around and we knock into a dresser. The corner strikes my back, but I don't care. Nothing matters but him. Cato. My love.

The straps of my dress fall down my shoulders, and Cato kisses them sweetly. But tonight, right now, I do not want sweet. I want him. Now. Now. Right now. I lift his head and mash his mouth to mine, twisting my tongue with his. He gets it. He knows what I mean. And he swings us again and we land on the couch with me on my back. He pulls us upright and removes my arms from the strap of my dress. He pushes the white material down then retreats when it pools at my hips. My chest is bare and his mouth moves to tease the nipples of my breasts. I cry out for him. To him. I dig my hands in his hair and tilt my head back when his lips and tongue trail back up to my mouth.

Then we are moving again. My legs are wrapped around him and he stumbles his way through the house, with my faint directions, we find my bedroom. It has a huge bed and as soon as Cato sees it, he pushes me on it. I growl at him and claw at his pants. Cato is panting, his heart rate beating uncontrollably. He kisses me fiercely as he removes the rest of my dress. I am naked to him. And I have never felt more comfortable in my entire life. I reach down and undo the button of his pants and unzip the fly. He growls, grunts, as I pull them down, taking his boxers with them. We are frantic. We are both naked and waiting. I love it. I love him.

He hovers above me. "Winnow…God, Winnow…I've missed you. I'm so sorry. I'll never leave, I didn't want to…."

"Hush," I cut him off with my lips touching his. "I've missed you too, but now….prove that you still love me."

"I never stopped, love. I never could."

With that, his mouth meets mine and his hand trails down my belly. It reaches my core and as his fingers graze it, play with it, I moan out in pleasure. Loud. Cato growls and he rubs me. Hard, but slow. My hips jerk up, wanting him to go faster. My hands tangle in his hair as we kiss, as he moves his fingers over my clit. I love it.

"Cato…" I shutter out, my hips moving faster and faster. He obeys and I moan, loudly. I repeat my order. I want his hand rubbing my as hard as he can. I don't want him to hold back.

"Winnow…"

And that familiar feeling coils up soon. My breaths are growing uneven.

"Oh, God, Cato…." My scrambled words die off into a throaty scream and I clutch for him, my body shivering.

Once my body relaxes, Cato waits for me. With a smirk, I kiss him feverously and push him onto his back. This is only my second time, but I am as confident as a very experienced woman with her husband.

Cato glances at me with questioning eyes, but they soon glaze over when I lower myself onto him. He growls out and grips my hips with his rough, yet soft, hands. I brace my hands on his shoulders and I begin to move, experimenting. I move my hips in jerky motions and rip a loud moan/growl from Cato's throat. My hips pick up rhythm, and soon, I am riding him. Fast, hard. I want to feel him as much as he wants to feel me. His breath is shuddering out and my hips are moving fast.

"Winnow…." Cato breathes, his hips jerking to mine. He is close, but I'm not quite there. I look down at him and move on of his hands to my core. He knows what I am asking and he obliges. He rubs me hard, his finger making a circling motion. It is coiling up. It wants to burst.

"Cato…!" I scream, my hips increasing movement. Cato growls and rubs me harder, fasters and I can feel my muscles start to clench around him.

And then two more thrusts of our hips and we both scream out each other's names. But our hips do not stop. We ride out our orgasms. Even after we keep going. Cato is hard again in a few minutes. We start all over again.

"I love you, Winnow." He whispers to me after his third time coming. I breathe to him as he is making me reach that high again tonight. There will be more tonight. We have four years to make up for.

"I love you Cato. Forever."

And we continue the night how we had started it.

* * *

hehehe...please review :3


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